ts, European municipalities, and differential
import duties were abandoned, while in return proprietary rights,
except in regard to land, were granted to foreigners.

There are, mayhap, some persons at the present day who are not aware
of the fact that for a good many years after Japan was to a limited
extent opened to foreigners several of the Powers retained an armed
force in that country for the protection of foreign residents. Great
Britain, for instance, had a large number of marines at Yokohama. The
presence of these troops was extremely unpalatable to the Japanese
authorities, but of course pleasing to the foreign residents, who
opposed their withdrawal just as they opposed the abrogation of
extra-territoriality. I am afraid the reason for the removal of this
armed force as far as Great Britain was concerned was economic rather
than founded on any particular principle. Be that as it may, in 1873
Japan was successful in assuring the British Government that she was
able and prepared to protect all foreigners residing in the country,
and in that year the last foreign soldier was withdrawn from Japanese
territory.

Those who remember the agitation--and a very fierce and noisy and
provocative agitation it was--in opposition to the revision of Japan's
treaties with the foreign Powers with a view of getting rid of
extra-territoriality will have a lively recollection of the
pessimistic forebodings of the speakers and writers in reference to
the future of the foreign community in that country were the exclusive
privileges they then enjoyed taken away from them. The gentlemen who
uttered these sentiments were no doubt sincerely convinced of their
truth, but I am glad to be able to relate that time has shown them to
have been false prophets. There may be, and no doubt are, foreigners
in Japan who bemoan the good old days, but I am confident that the
great mass of the foreign community now recognises the fact that the
revision of the treaties and the withdrawal of extra-territorial
privileges were inevitable and that no evil results have ensued in
consequence. The Japanese courts of law have neither terrorised nor
oppressed foreigners. They have, on the contrary, sought to hold the
scales of justice evenly, and I believe that these courts now enjoy,
as I am sure they deserve, the fullest confidence in their integrity
and justice of every foreigner residing in the country.

I have noticed a tendency on the part of writers